DIY Nautical Tray

DIY Nautical Map Serving Tray

Are you getting tired of all my nautical map projects yet?  I hope not cause guess what?  Yup, I got another one for ya.  So far I have made these coastal coasters, this End Table, and this Console Table using nautical maps.   I still have maps leftover from my end table project, and I had this old tray that had seen better days, so I decided to make a DIY Nautical Map Serving Tray.

Here is how I did it…

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Materials Used for this Project…

Nautical Map of Bahamas wrapping paper
Mod Podge
Foam Brushes
Clear Acrylic Gloss Coating Spray
This tool set to flatten out all the bubbles
Tray

 

Step 1…Paint the Tray…

I’ve had this tray for years and it is adorable, but it was looking a little ragged.  It had a bunch of chips and a big water stain on the top.  Therefore, the first thing I did was paint this sucker using some left over white spray paint from my garage.  If you want to attempt this project and don’t have a tray already you can get a similar one, here, here or here.

Ah! Yes! That’s much better.

Step 2…Cut the Map and Glue it…

To cut the map, I simply measured the top of the tray and then measured the map and cut it with scissors.  I wasn’t worried about the seams because I knew the adhesive and the Mod Podge would smooth them out.

NOTE: You can use whatever image you want on the top.  It doesn’t have to be a map at all.  I used this Bahamas nautical map wrapping paper from amazon.  

To attach the map to the tray, I used this spray adhesive.  Simply spray a generous amount right to the top of the tray, and then carefully place the map on top.  Once it was stuck to the tray, I used this roller tool to smooth out any bubbles.  You can also use a credit card.

Step 3…Mod Podge the Top…

I used my foam brush to put several layers of Mod Podge on the top.  This stuff will seal it and protect it from any moisture.  I usually just pour some on and then use a foam brush to paint it on.  For this piece, I used 2 coats.

Step 4….Finish it off…

Finally, the last step is to spray a top coat (or two) of this Clear Acrylic Gloss Coating.  This stuff dries in minutes and adds another layer of protection against spills.  I used 2 coats.

That is it. Simple, easy and cheap to make.

Here is the finished product.

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